:quality(85)//cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/BJWLTYSXMRHXJC5H7PO2E3XIMU.jpg "Why 10 minutes of self-reflection a day can improve brain health")
Although there is currently no treatment for dementiajust 10 minutes from self reflection a day could significantly improve cognition and brain health, according to a study by researchers from the University College London.
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Additionally, experts have noted that older adults who regularly assess their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors may have less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
As explained by the researchers, this statement is the result of the analysis of data from two clinical trials involving 259 people, aged around 70 years. In the study, participants answered questions about thinking, measuring how often they think about and try to understand their thoughts and feelings.
For experts, thanks to these discoveries, this practice could pave the way for one day reducing the risk of developing the disease through psychological treatment.
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“There is growing evidence that the positive psychological factorssuch as purpose in life and consciousness, can reduce he dementia risksaid the lead author of the research published in the journal Neurology, Harriet Demnitz-King.
In this sense, the expert pointed out that the results revealed that people who engaged more in self-reflection had better memory, concentration and ability to solve problems, as well as better brain health.
“Anyone can devote themselves to self-reflection and potentially increase their degree of self-reflection, because it does not depend on physical health or socio-economic factors”, elaborated the scientist.
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And he continued: “Self-reflection is about taking a step back and trying not to be so hard on yourself, actively evaluating our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. So when we feel bad or have a problem, we try to think about how we can solve it, without getting bogged down in these negative thinking styles and thinking of solutions.
Although the researchers noted that it’s unclear why self-reflection might have protective effects, they cautioned that it may be linked to feelings of calm and reduced levels of stress in the body. body, or could improve mental health.
For scientists, when a person sets aside time each day to reflect on work, relationships and social encounters – with kindness and without judgment – the risk of dementia can be reduced.
On this point, Dr. Richard Oakley, associate director of research at the Alzheimer Society, noted: “If self-reflection seems to have a positive effect on brain function, it is possible that one day we will reduce the risk of dementia with treatments that help people create healthy thought patterns.
It’s that as life expectancy increases around the world, so does the number of people with dementia. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), worldwide more than 55 million people (8.1% of women and 5.4% of men over 65) live with this pathology, and they estimate that this number will reach 78 million by 2030 and 139 million by 2050.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. It is a neurological disorder that causes cerebral atrophy and leads to the progressive death of neurons. Thus, there is a continuous deterioration in thinking, behavior and social skills which affects a person’s ability to live independently.
A survey conducted by Harvard experts has highlighted that Alzheimer’s disease can be detected many years before the onset of the characteristic cognitive impairments.
According to this study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital, associated with Harvard Medical School, the early accumulation of tau and amyloid-β proteins can disrupt brain connectivity for many years before signs of deterioration are observed, such as memory loss or recurrent forgetfulness.
The findings could lead to strategies that could help detect Alzheimer’s disease early. Researchers have known for years that amyloid-β and tau pathologies, hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, can lead to the death of neurons, the brain’s most abundant cells, leading to cognitive decline and dementia.
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